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They sent each other explicit photographs, prosecutors allege, before they eventually met up and there was sexual activity in his car in a secluded spot.

The alleged offences came to light when one of the girls’ friends became worried about her getting in a vehicle with a strange man and rang the police, the court heard.

Mr Tuohy, who was 19 at the time, has admitted that sexual contact with the ‘football mad’ youngster did take place in 2015, however he insists that he believed she was over the age of 16.

He denies all the charges against him.

Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester was told when the pair first met at a sports event for children in 2015, a year after Mr Tuohy made his debut for Oldham, he was pictured with her whilst she was dressed in her school uniform.

Opening the case, Benjamin Jones, prosecuting, told the jury: “The evidence will show that this defendant took advantage of a girl who had a crush on a footballer.”

Mr Jones said Mr Tuohy, had been ‘dishonest at every stage’ of the police investigation, initially telling officers there had been no sexual contact between the pair, then saying they had only kissed and cuddled, before later admitting there was sexual contact.

In a video interview played to the court, the girl said Mr Tuohy twice asked her age in their exchanges, once when they began speaking and again shortly before their meeting.

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She said she sent him two explicit photographs of herself as he threatened to not speak to her again if she didn’t.

She also claims he sent one explicit picture of himself to her, something Mr Tuohy denies.

Mr Tuohy, of Arthur Street, Shaw, Oldham, pleaded not guilty to a charge of meeting a child following grooming, two counts of sexual activity with a child, and two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, at an earlier hearing.